HHDs or School?

The High Holy Days.  Tishrei.  Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippur. (and Sukkot and Simchat Torah).  In my doctoral research, I engaged in in-depth interviews with Jewish teens who are 17/18 years old, who went through supplemental Jewish education through to bar/bat mitzvah and then disengaged in organized Jewish life. As we explored together what meaning Judaism still held for them and what they could see observing as they move through to their adult lives, the participants each mentioned some aspect of Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippur – but it wasn’t consistent.  One mentioned renewal – like New Year’s Resolutions and one mentioned Sweet Kugel for break fast. Another mentioned big extended family dinners and another mentioned his intellectual connection between fasting and world hunger (being thankful he didn’t face that every day).  There was a resounding push/pull from them about missing school for the holy days and none of them mentioned that this issue had even been talked about in their religious education – how to manage their school (teachers, administrators, counselors) in the face of choosing religion over academics for a few days a year.  In considering your curriculum for supplemental schools (and even summer camps), examine how we teach (if we teach) our young people the skills they need to navigate being an American Jewish Teen.   (Note:  the ADL has some good materials for parents on this topic.)